Golf on your doorstep

For a county that doesn’t immediately spring to mind for golf, Dorset has some surprisingly big names. While there are only just over 30 clubs affiliated to the county union. From cliff top courses with some of the most stunning views to be found anywhere, to mature parkland set-ups bursting with wonderful wildlife. You really won’t find yourself short of options when choosing where to play

Spearheaded by its Bournemouth big names, the best golf courses in Dorset include many lovely and well-priced alternatives offering you a mixture of genuinely good courses, for all abilities, some with fantastic views over the English Channel, as well as some of the best downland and heathland courses in the whole of the UK.

The ‘big’ 3 courses just outside Bournemouth - Parkstone Golf Club, Ferndown Golf Club and Broadstone Golf Club (pictured above), being 3 of the most highly rated courses and long-time favourites of TV commentator, Peter Alliss.

In addition, the high heathland course, Isle of Purbeck, just 35 minutes away, in the very heart of Thomas Hardy country, will challenge every aspect of your game and offers a stunning 360-degree, panoramic vistas across to the Isle of Wight, Bournemouth, Poole Harbour and beyond.

Surrounding your new Dorset home, there are also plenty of pay and play courses as well as some public driving ranges for you to maintain the swing, so you can always squeeze in a ‘quick nine’.

Here are our top 5 golf courses that offer something for everyone:

• Ferndown Forest Golf Club-Ferndown Forest is a flat, picturesque, short, 5,051-yard, 18 hole, par 69 course that features meandering streams and ancient woodland. The club provides a range of floodlit practicing areas including a 20-bay driving range, putting and chipping green and short game and practice bunker.

• Bulbury Woods Golf Club-Measuring 6,001 yards this 18 holes par 71 tree-lined course offers a great test of golf where accuracy off the tee is a must. The course has stunning views across the Purbecks and is renowned for the quality of its greens.

• Isle of Purbeck-The Purbeck Championship course proves an exciting test for even the most accomplished golfer. The Club dates back to 1892 and among the past owners who were responsible for the extension to 27 holes were Enid Blyton, the legendary writer of children's books and her husband Dr Darrell-Waters. The courses are built on heathland and are set within a nature reserve where many rare plants can be seen as well as rare birds.

• Broadstone Golf Club-Set in the glorious Dorset countryside, Broadstone is one of the finest examples of an unspoilt heathland golf course in the South of England, and deservedly sits in the Top 100 golf courses in the UK. Within 250 acres of rolling terrain, the fairways run freely and separately through superb natural heathland with its swathes of heather, pine, gorse and rhododendrons.

• Knighton Heath Golf Club-A genuine heathland course situated on 90 acres of high ground beside Canford Heath offering a great place to play golf in Dorset. You will need to plot your way around the course which is heavily tree-lined with some narrow fairways. The greens are in superb condition and the course presents an excellent test of golf for players of all standards.

So whether you’re a keen golfer or just taken up the frustrating game, the area around your new home here at Merley Court is haven ‘fore’ you to lose the odd ball or two, or three!